The Nile is the world's longest river and the birthplace of one of the greatest civilizations of the ancient world. This book takes readers along the "River in the Sand" as it flows north from its source in central Africa to the Mediterranean Sea, crossing thousands of miles of desert. Ancient Egyptians depended on the Nile's annual floods to deposit fertile soil for farming. The Nile also provided water for irrigation and was a main transportation route. Today, the Nile remains vital, with more than 70 million people growing crops in the river's basin and fishing in its waters. The impact on the river of the Aswan High Dam, population growth, and climate change is also examined.